METRORail Uptown Line

  Uptown Line
Overview
Type Bus rapid transit
(Light rail, future)
System METRORail
Status Design Phase[1]
Locale Houston, Texas
Termini Northwest Transit Center Station (north)
Bellaire/South Rice (south)
Stations 9
(10, future)
Operation
Opened 2017 (estimated)
Operator(s) METRO
Technical
Line length 4.7 mi (8 km)[2]
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

The Uptown/Gold Line (according to Go METRORail)[3] is a planned 4.7 mi (8 km) METRORail light rail route that will be designed, constructed, and operated by METRO in Houston, Texas. Due to lack of funds, it was announced in early 2013 that the Uptown/Gold Line will be constructed initially as a bus rapid transit line. The design will feature the ability to easily convert the line to light rail in the future. This will allow the line to be functional as early as 2017.[4]

Route

In the north, the Uptown Line would begin at the Northwest Transit Center, travel southbound crossing I-10 and come to Memorial Station. From here, the link would go underground in the median of I-610, resurfacing after Post Oak Boulevard and servicing the Uptown Park shopping center. This line will provide access to the Houston Galleria and its surrounding businesses. The remainder of the route would travel down the median strip of Post Oak Boulevard, making stops at San Felipe, Ambassador Way, Guilford Court, West Alabama, and Richmond. Transfers to the University/Blue Line would occur at the Bellaire/South Rice Station.

Construction

Following a statement in 2010 by Houston's mayor, Annise Parker, construction will commence at a time when funding can be secured for this line.[5][6] Furthermore, due to the lack of infrastructure upgrades promised by the Uptown Management District, METRO will hold off on anything related to the line until a deal is arranged.[7]

Stations

The following is a list of planned stations for the Uptown Line, listed in order from north to south. The initial line will contain 9 stations with the Four Oaks Station being added at an unspecified date in the future.[8]

Uptown/Gold Line
Northwest Transit Center Station
Memorial Station
Uptown Park Station
Four Oaks (future)
San Felipe Station
Ambassador Way Station
Westheimer Station
West Alabama Station
Richmond Station
Bellaire Station*

*Note: this station is shared with the University/Blue Line in order to provide transfers.

Expansion

Future expansion would include a 1.1 mi (1.8 km) extension northbound to Northwest Mall, as well as a westward expansion to the Hillcroft Transit Center.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Allan Turner, Houston Chronicle (2010-07-30). "Feds give environmental OK to University rail line - Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  3. ↑ "GoMETRORail.org". GoMETRORail.org. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  4. ↑ "Post Oak redesign drops rail for bus lane". Houston Chronicle. 2013-02-10.
  5. ↑ "Rick Casey: Metro can't let rail jeopardize its buses - Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. 2010-03-11. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  6. ↑ Shay, Miya (2010-03-11). "Houston Mayor Annise Parker wants to put brakes on University and Uptown rail lines | abc13.com". Abclocal.go.com. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  7. ↑ Knight, Paul (2010-08-13). "Metro Ponders Galleria Real Estate, And Why The Uptown District Can't Deliver On its $70 Million Promise | Houston Press". Blogs.houstonpress.com. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  8. ↑ "Uptown Line Stations" (PDF). Gometrorail.org. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
  9. ↑ "Metro Light Rail (Houston, Sugar Land, Galveston: 2015, university, tax) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum". City-data.com. 2010-05-31. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
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